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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Ecoventura Expedition Dive Ship Underscores Sustainability

Creates DivEncounters Inc. for Growing Dive Market

Launch Plans Include Exhibiting at Three Upcoming Consumer Dive Shows in Long Beach, Tacoma and Las Vegas

The visionary, small ship travel company Ecoventura (http://www.ecoventura.com/) announced recently that it has created a new company, DivEncounters, Inc., to handle sales and reservations for the growing dive market in the Galapagos and elsewhere.

Allison Seymour who has extensive prior experience in the destination and live-aboard dive industry has been named sales manager to oversee marketing outreach for a company-owned dedicated dive yacht, the soon to be renamed and upgraded M/Y Galapagos Sky (formerly known as Sky Dancer).

Santiago Dunn, president and owner of Ecoventura and DivEncounters, Inc., said that his company for years has maintained a dive operation that was affiliated with Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., but that establishing DivEncounters, Inc. is in line with his company's mandate to manage as many elements as possible of a sustainable-minded vacation in the endangered Galapagos. Dunn explains that, "Effective June 13, 2010 Ecoventura will no longer be affiliated with Peter Hughes Diving."

M/Y Galapagos Sky will offer seven-night dive trips year-round to the northern islands of Wolf and Darwin. Cruise rates from $4595 per person (double) include cabin accommodation, all meals, snacks, beverages, filled tanks, weights, weight belt, up to four dives per day on 5.5 days for 7-night cruise, land excursions, service of naturalist guides/dive masters, transfers in the Islands between airport and dock (on cruise dates) and all other customary services and amenities.

Accommodations include eight private en-suite cabins with two twin or one king size bed with window view or port light, private head/shower, mirrored cabinet and wardrobe, bathrobes, hairdryer and toiletries. M/Y Galapagos Sky is fully air conditioned and features a spacious lounge area and fine dining. Please see http://www.ecoventura.com/dive_live_aboard.aspx.

"We're looking forward to announcing a number of vessel improvements and upgrades to M/Y Galapagos Sky," said Dunn, adding that other comparable live-aboard and destination resort dive and snorkel offerings are also being developed.

DivEncounters, Inc. plans to exhibit at three upcoming major consumer dive shows: May 15-16, Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA; May 21-23, Dive & Travel Expo in Tacoma, WA; and Nov. 17-20 DEMA in Las Vegas, NV.

About Ecoventura: Ecoventura is a family-owned company based in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with sales offices in Quito and Miami. In operation since 1990, the cruise company transports 4,000+ passengers annually aboard its dedicated dive yacht along with their fleet of three expedition vessels; identical, 10-cabin, superior first-class 20-passenger motor yachts. All of its vessels have been purposefully retrofitted to meet or exceed the highest possible environmental standards.